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Welcome to Inside the Newsroom @ A2 Journal, a blog written by the newspaper's staff at A2 Journal, a new, weekly, community newspaper covering Ann Arbor. This blog is a place for members of the newspaper's staff to write their thoughts, observations, opinions and other informative pieces they put together while covering the rich history, interesting people, institutions and traditions that make Ann Arbor such a unique community.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

July 17 - Lisa's Musings (on appliances) and Every Day Life

After today, I really hope that I'm done with buying household appliances for the rest of my life.

And on Friday, I'll happily watch as the old dishwasher, oven, washer and dryer leave this house for parts unknown.

Thank you Heydlauff's of Chelsea.

After needing a new dishwasher for months and months, I polled my Facebook friends who answered my call w/suggestions for the brand they recommended. One friend even sent me a Consumer's Report rating on the major makes and models. Most people suggested Bosch. And I heeded their advice.

I picked a black one. The same color as my current barely functioning model. I'm really looking forward to eating off the pretty dishes I bought this winter and putting them in the dishwasher. Instead of washing them by hand.

A few weeks ago, my dryer sprang a rust spot and recently ruined a brand new Tony Stewart T-shirt that I'd bought while at the June MIS race. I really liked this shirt and now it's got a rust stain on it that will not come out. So, it was time for a new dryer.

And, as long as I was getting a new dryer, I figured I might as well get a new washer, too. Hopefully, I'll never see a Maytag repairman -- except on commercials on TV.

Plus, with all these veggies and fruit from my share of two CSA's, I need more freezer space, so I can enjoy summer produce this winter. Time to get a small chest freezer.

The oven, well, that was something I needed for a long time because two of the four burners only work when they feel like it, which makes cooking a challenge. This was kind of a spur-of-the-moment buy, when I walked by one with radiant heat elements instead of those stupid burners I have.

Yeah, it was an expensive choice, but I'm really excited to have four burners that work and a self-cleaning oven. Bring on Thanksgiving.

Speaking of which, I decided to celebrate the pending retirement of these appliances, so I bought a fresh turkey today. My friend, Nancy, cooked the fresh green beans and corn on the cob and beets. I made the stuffing and the turkey and we celebrated Thanksgiving on a 90-degree day in July.

Now I need to hand wash all the pots and pans and dishes for one of the last times. Ever.

And, tomorrow, while I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy for doing my bit for the local economy, I think I'll buy a lottery ticket.

Maybe I'll get lucky like those auto workers from Detroit and be able to pay off all these new toys when the credit card bill comes next month.